Set 

Here I am. Standing backwards on the board with my tippy toes at the very end, oscillating in fear.

My head is counting “one, two, three, four” over and over again. The judges are staring at me blankly,

watching my every move and waiting for me to dive. I’m about to throw my hardest dive on my list: my back and a half. It is my most inconsistent dive in practice. I can do it perfectly one moment, and the next, I get the wind knocked out of me because I landed flat on my back.

Right before I went, I repeated Deuteronomy 31:8 in my heart. Once I reminded myself not to fear what

could happen, but to be confident that the Lord is near and guiding me through the air and into the

water, I had the courage to jump, flip, extend and dive gracefully into the water.

There will be challenges and fears that you will face, not only in sports, but in life. It’s important to

remind yourself that the Lord goes before you; He knows how your actions will end up. He knows how

you will perform in competition. And He knows how it is going to bring glory and honor back to Him.

When you are in a position of fear, knowing what you have to do, but resisting the reality of jumping,

know that God already jumped, landed and loved you first. Now, you have to trust that He will allow you to do the same.